When The Penny Drops

When the penny drops!

A penny for your thoughts . . . There are times in our lives when we all want and need advice, when we’re not sure whether to keep walking straight head or to take the u-turn at the next intersection. Major life choices such as buying a house, publishing a book or a sea change are rarely made independently.

As a Christian I do not believe we were created to live fully independently. Rather we were created to live in relationship with others – interdependence. Others in our lives are placed there specifically to supports us through the narrow valleys, the deepest cannons or conquering the mount tops.  They too are in our lives to share the joys and the celebrations that life commands we celebrate.

 The old saying a penny for your thoughts, is full of wisdom. In the process of making the major choices for my life, I actually will pay a penny or two for expert advice. This is particularly true in providing my health and wellbeing.  Sure I like most people have a GP and she’s great at looking at my overall health care needs or writing a script when I have a chest infection, but the are times my health needs are outside her whelm or expertise and she sends me off to a specialist in that area.

I remember of time when I was consulting with a physiologist about my mobility needs and working on my general fitness, she warning me when I began sharing the goals I was setting with others I was about to be meet with a influcts of people offering advice, and suggestion.  She reminded me it was her I was paying my pennies too, not the neighbour over the back fence. Sure enough he was explaining to me the benefits of his morning power walk and invited me who was using a wheelie walker at the time to join him for his morning power walk.  You’ll be walking without that walker in no time!

A opinion he was entitle to have but I never choose to take him up on his offer.  I was forking out my money to work with the physiologist at the time, I was sticking to her plan.  I must admit to being pretty single minded once my goals are set.  I was do focused I dragged my pool coach in so I could get the two people I invited to assist with my fitness at the time on the same page.  Many workers disagreed with the choices I was making at the time despite me consulting with people who had a little more knowledge then them.

Just as I didn’t give my pennies to me physiologist for a manuscript appraisal or seek art lesions from her. I wasn’t about to take advice of a support work who was changing a specially designed pool  program for me and the areas I wanted work on simple because she had taught learn to swim, the fact that learn to swim wasn’t my goal at the time seemed to escape her. I don’t choose to go to the vet if I can’t get an appointment with my doctor.  If I am forking out my pennies I figure I should follow the advice being offered and that’s my choice.

However our human nature is to put our two cents in whether’s its asked for or not!  All of us think we have advice and guidance to others. The very fact that I write this blog is testimony that I too have my two cents too have to others. I need to confess there are times, many times I offer my two cents, when I am perhaps not qualified to do so. Just as there are times I don’t follow my doctors advice especial when she said to get some rest. Not all my pennies are wisely spent.

When I was choosing the topic for today’s blog post I was actually really excited, because I often don’t have a lot of interaction with my readers and wonder at times if my carefully chosen words other wise known as my personal two cents worth. After all what I am sharing here are not merely the facts but my opinions based on my experiences. Not everything I am sharing will directly be applicable to your life.  We are all individuals and what works for me not fit for you and your lifestyle.

As I was saying we all like to put our opinions forward but ever now and then we over step the mark and become over zealous with our words of wisdom. At times we are so blind sided that we become so full of hot air the we are not only given someone advice but without realising we takeover taking away another person’s right to choice because what we believe fact. 

Some people think I am wasting my time in writing thus series on choice, Debbie some people are just never going to get it and if you keep letting them into your home there just going to keep walking all over you.  Of course their right, as I shared on Wednesday we  all know people who seem to have all the answers.  They don’t get how intrusive the actions are even though in the main the intentions are well meaning.

However every now and then the penny does drop and a person realises then been try to buy us with far more than a two cents we generally allow people to invest in our lives. Yesterday someone significant in my life realised she was wanting two dollars worth of in put. She had based her opinions of what was needed on her own values and how she view things based on her own needs. One size does not fit all and my neighbour as a larger lady would be the first to admit that.

She being the caring soul that she said had set about to correcting my lack of privacy because my kitchen curtains were to short. People could see in and she perceived I was a risk and was about to jump in feet first to rescue me. I am after al a young single lady with a disability living on my own. Surely it was a fact that short kitchen windows put me in danger.

It wasn’t until I sheepishly confessed I was worried I might not like her choice in curtains, that she offered to take me shopping to pick them out that after some more fishing she exclaimed, Dear it’s your house and your choice I sense you are happy with what you have. (for me the issue was being able to see out.  As a result of this choice I don’t walk around my house with nothing on).

When the penny dropped my poor neighbour was horrified the she like some many people was prepared to waltz into my home and take over.  I know it not an excuse Debbie but I care so very much for you. I nodded as I knew her heart was a care heart and I reassured her, there be plenty of other ways she can help me in the meantime come down for coffee and check some of my latest artwork.

My neighbour was the last person I expected to let her pennies drop into the piggy bank.  She is not one to hold back with her opinions, advice and lectures. So I am beaming with excitement to know every now and then for someone the penny will drop.  Making this exercise worth it!